As it is well known, currently, in the case of elbow or distal humerus, or proximal of radius and ulna fractures, or elbow arthroscopy, wearing a brace to restrict and control the excursion degree of the elbow joint movements, also referred to by the acronym ROM (“Range of Motion”), is necessary for a patient.
In fact, during the recovery phase of the normal function of a joint of a patient, it is necessary that it is limited both in the flexion movement, i.e. the passage of the forearm from a position in which it forms a 90° angle with the arm to a position in which both form a 0° angle between them, as well as in the extension movement, in which there is the opposite passage, i.e. the passage of the forearm from a position which forms a 90° with the arm to a maximum extension position, in which it forms an angle of 180° with the arm.
Currently, there are braces comprising two rods coupled together by means of a rotary joint that can be blocked by means of buttons in order to maintain fixed rods between them at a predetermined angle.
The two rods are positioned with one on the arm and one on the forearm of the patient so that the rotary joint is in correspondence with the elbow and they are fixed to the patient's body through sheaths or sleeves with twist fasteners, snap or similar means.
A brace example according to the prior art is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,122, which relates to a brace for an arm comprising two rods connected to each other by a coupling comprising a circular ring, toothed along a circumference arc.
The ring is integral with one of the two arms while it is rotatably coupled with the second arm by means of a central pivot.
The ring is rotatably connected with a flat base through a central pivot. The flat base further includes a pivot that fits progressively along indentations of the ring circumference arc, corresponding to the rotation imparted on the flat base. Additional pivots block the excursion of the two rods so that when the flat base is rotated and fixed at a predetermined angle, the rods rotate accordingly by means of the toothed ring, and are blocked by locking pins. In this way, the patient's arm is fixed at a predetermined position, which inhibits the flexion and extension, thus limiting the ROM of the arm.
This brace, as well as other braces of the state of the art, allow arms to rotate between them according to a predetermined angle from 0° to 180° as they have indentations, guides or grooves that prevent a rotation of the rods between them at a higher angle.
It is evident then that limited mutual rotation of the rods results in a brace that can only be used for a right limb or a left limb but not both.
Moreover, the braces of the state of the art have joints composed of a plurality of mechanical elements such as pivots, rollers, elastic returning means and screws, which makes the structure of the joints complex.
It is evident, therefore, how easily a joint can be damaged due to failure even of a single pivot or a mechanical piece that composes such joint, thus requiring frequent maintenance of the brace.